Bond.



I. R. BROWN.

.BOND. APPLICATION FILED APR. 61,1914.

l y,1 89,235. Patented July 4, 1916.

'modied forms of protector sleeves.

Vi1 is a sectional view of another modlca- 'UNITED STATES PATENT onirica.

JOHN ROWLAND BROWN, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR. TO THE OHIO BRASS COMPANY, OF MANSFIELD,

OHO, A. CORPORATION OF JERSEY.

' BOND.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1916.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN RoWLAND BROWN, a citizen of the United Statesnresiding at Mansfield, in the county of Rlchland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsv 1 n Bonds, of which the following is a speciflcation.

My invention relates to improvements. 1n the terminals of bonds used for making electrical connections between the rails of a railroad. track.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved device of this character which will be simple, durable and reliable in construction, effective and eiicient in operation and inexpensiveto manufacture.

Other objects of my invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a p artially completed bond terminal embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the completely formed terminal. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the structure shownin Fig. 2. `Fig. i is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view of a portion of the cable used for bonds of this character and showing one of my protecting sleeves which is positioned thereon prior to the formation of the completed bond terminal. Fig. 6 is atop plan view similar to Fig. 3 of a modified construction wherein two ycable strands are used instead of one. Fig. 7 1s a similar vlew of another modification. Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are end views of Fig.

tion adapted for ribbon strand cables, and Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the completed structure shown in Fig. 11.

' My invention is more particularly directed to bonds of the type wherein a solid metal terminal is welded to a flexible metal conductor. In this'type of bond the terminal is formed of a solid piece of metal, preferably forged, and the flexible conductor or cable is composed of a plurality of wires, strands or ribbons twisted or assembled together, as the case may be, and intimately secured to the solidterminal by welding operations. In manufacturing these bonds the terminal is provided with a suitable socketed or bored out portion into which the end of the flexible or stranded conductor is inserted. After being assembled in this manner the terminal and flexible lcable are subjected to heating and compressing operations to intimately weld or join the two together. The effect of this compressing and heating operation is to causethe iexii blecable to merge into the solid terminal;

that is to say, the strands 'of the flexible conductor gradually lose their identity as individual strands and become incorporated into the solid mass of metal in the terminal. The strands of the conductor adjacent the juncture thereof with the solid terminal, in spite of all precaution, necessalily become damaged and disintegrated to a more or less degree because of the compression and burning or scorching to which they are subjected in the welding operation. The result is that the strands adjacent the juncture, and particularly the outer strands of the cable in this more or less weakened condition eventually give way and break when the bond is subjectedto the various strains and bending action in use. The breaking of these strands, of course, reduces the current-carryingcapacity of the bond and renders it objectionable for obvious reasons. I propose, therefore, to provide a protector sleeve or guard around the strands of the cable adjacent the juncture of the cable and terminalfor the purpose of protecting the strands at this point during the manufacturing process. This protecting sleeve or member is interposed between the cable and the metal of the terminal in such manner that when the terminal and cable are subjected to the welding operation a portion of this sleeve is'likewise treated and becomes intimately incorporated into the solid mass of the terminal itself. Another portion of the sleeve, however, extends along the cable and projects beyond the metal of the terminal itself. It takes the brunt of the welding operation so that at the point where the cable merges or leaves the terminal the strands thereof remain whole and uninjured and thereby better able to Withstand service without damage. The protector is preferably of comparatively thin material .and yields to some extent when the cable is distribute the bending action over a greater length of cable and therefore prevents sharp bends.

My invention may be carried out in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit thereof, and in the drawings I have illustrated several forms lof bonds which embody my invention.

In Fig. 1 it will be seen that the terminal A is of solid metal and is provided with a bore or socket C in one end into which the end of the flexible stranded cable D is inserted prior to the welding operation. Surrounding the end portion of the cable which is inserted into this socket is a guard or protector sleeve E. This sleeve is made of any suitable material for the purpose and is preferably comparatively thin, as shown more clearly in Figs. 4 and 5. It is given the form of an open-ended tube and is temporarily held in place on the cable in any desired manner, such for instance, as by bending or crimping it as at E2. The parts are so proportioned that a portion of this sleeve extends along the cable or conductor D and projects beyond the-end C1 of the metal of the terminal. The terminal cable and sleeve are now subjected'to heating and compressing operations, the result of which intimately incorporates the inner portion of the sleeve and the end portion of the cable D into the mass of metal of the solid terminal, the sleeve and strands of the cable practically gradually losing their identity in the mass of metal of the terminal, this being clearly indicated in Fig. 2. The portion of the sleeve which projects beyond the end C1 of the metal guards the strands of the cable against burning or compression during the welding operation, and in consequence the cable merges from the terminal in an uninjured condition.

Fig. 3 illustrates a single strand cable in.

a completed condition. The terminal itself may be of any shape or form desired. In the drawings I have shown the terminal A as being provided with a cylindrical stud or shank B by which the terminal may be secured in the bond-holes in the rails.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have illustrated a duplex type of bond; that is, a bond wherein two exible cables instead of one are used. In Fig. 6 the terminal is divided at one end into two separated tubular portions each provided with a socket for the reception of a single cable D, while in Fig. 7 the two cables D enter together into a common socket or bore in the terminal, but the principle involved is the same as described above; In Fig. 6 I employ a single sleeve E for each cable similar to the one described in connection with Fig. l. In Fig. 7, however, I have provided a sleeve common to both of the cables. The sleeves for the type of bond shown in Fig. 7 may be forme@L in various ways, such for instance as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, which are end views of modifications of double sleeves for the Fig. 7 form of bond.

, Figs. 1l and 12 are of the type in which the cable or flexible conductor is composed of a plurality of flat ribbon strands instead of wire strands, as above described. The terminal A is provided with a suitable groove or opening into which the end portions of the ribbon conductors are placed. This construction also employs a sleeve E for each cable, the same as described above, but the sleeve will, ofcourse, necessarily be rectangular in form rather' than circular. After the ribbon strands and sleeves have been placed in position the terminal and cables are subjected to the welding operations in the same manner as the terminals above described. y

I claim:

l. The combination of a terminal member and a stranded conductor consolidated together in varying degrees of intimacy, and an auxiliary protector sleeve surrounding 90 the stranded member at the point Where it emerges from the terminal member.

2. The combination of a solid metallic terminal member and a conductor member composed of a plurality of metallic strands, consolidated together in varying degrees of intimacy, and an auxiliary sleeve surrounding the strands ofthe conductor at the point Where said conductor emerges from the terminal.

3. A bond of the class described comprising a 'socketed terminal, a iexible stranded conductor positioned within the socket-of said terminal, and a separate protector sleeve surrounding said stranded conductor and in- 105 terposed between the metal of the terminal and the conductor.

4. A bond of the class described comprising a solid metal terminal, alexible stranded conductor extending into said terminal and 110 intimately Welded therewith, and a separate protector sleeve surrounding the stranded conductor within the terminal and intimately welded with said terminal and conductor.

5. A bond of the class described comprising a solid metal terminal, a flexible stranded conductor extending into said terminal p and intimately welded therewith, and a. protector sleeve surrounding the stranded con- 120 ductor within the terminal and intimately welded with said terminal and conductor, a portion of said sleeve projecting along the conductor and beyond the metal of the terminal.

6. A bond of the class described comprising a solid metal terminal having a socket, a flexible conductor comprising a plurality of strands inserted into said socket and intimately welded into the mass of said termi- 180 nal, and a protector sleeve surrounding the strands of the conductor and interposed between the metal of the terminal and the strands of the conductor and intimately welded with said terminal and-said conductor, said protector sleeve projecting beyond the metal of the terminal.

7. A bond comprising a socketed terminal, a flexible stranded conductor consolidated within the terminal with it, and a separate protector sleeve surrounding the conductor and extending partially within and partially without the socket of the terminal.

8. A bond comprising a socketed terminal, a flexible stranded conductor extending within the socket and welded thereto, and a separate protector sleeve surrounding the conductor extending partially within the socket and welded therein to the terminal, and extending of the terminal.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 31st day of March A. D. 1914.

JOHN ROWLAND BROWN.

Witnesses:

JN0. L. YOUNG, C. 'V. MARKS.

outwardly beyond the metal 20 

